1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a latent heat storage tank equipped with a latent heat storage member, and more particularly to a latent heat storage tank equipped with a latent heat storage member having an open upper end portion, which can keep itself in a hollow cylindrical shape and holds therein heat storage agent which alternately repeats latent heat storage and discharge operations through solid-liquid phase variation.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent propagation of electric equipments have caused remarkable increase in power consumption. The power consumption in the daytime (hereinafter referred to as "daytime power consumption") trends to be further increased due to propagation of air-conditioners, OA (Office Automation) equipments, etc. On the other hand, the power consumption at night (hereinafter referred to as "night-time power consumption") has not be so much increased. Therefore, the difference between the daytime power consumption and the night-time power consumption is increased more and more.
Most of power plants are constructed to meet the daytime power consumption, that is, to generate electric power corresponding to the daytime power consumption, and thus most of the power plants are left inoperative at night because the night-time power consumption is small. In view of the foregoing, there have been developed various kinds of heat storage techniques in which heat is stored as latent heat using inexpensive night-time electric power and the stored heat power is used in the daytime to thereby reduce the expensive daytime power consumption.
For example, as one of the techniques is known an ice latent heat storage method which was previously proposed by the applicant of this invention in U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,904 (corresponding Japanese applications: Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 4-73532 and Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 3-175222). These ice latent heat storage techniques can be implemented in a simple manner and at a low cost, and these techniques are applicable to even an existing building (structure) when the building has a tank or the like which can be reconstructed to a prescribed latent heat storage tank. Accordingly, these techniques are sufficiently practically usable.
Conventional heat storage tanks containing the latent heat storage tank as proposed above are basically designed and used on the assumption that heat storage agent is used while enclosed in a latent heat member (container) which is installed in the heat storage tank. For example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,904, a tube for holding heat storage agent therein is disposed in the latent heat storage tank with both ends thereof closed. Therefore, these techniques require the following working for fabrication of heat storage members. That is, a heat storage member is filled with heat storage agent (and weights are added into the heat storage member if necessary), and then it is sealed. Thereafter, a plurality of heat storage members as described above are disposed in a heat storage tank in such a prescribed manner that they are assembled in a net or bundled.
However, the above working needs a long time and a large labor even when the fabrication of the heat storage members are performed at a set-up position in a heat storage tank where the heat storage members are set up. On the other hand, when the fabrication of the heat storage members are performed at a position other than the set-up position in the heat storage tank and the heat storage members are transported to the set-up position, there occur various troubles such as damages, etc. during a transport time, and there also occurs a problem in transport manner. In addition, it becomes apparent through practical use that a working efficiency is remarkably low and thus this method is not effective. Further, since the heat storage agent and the weights are beforehand introduced into the heat storage members, much labor must be given to handle the heat storage members without damage when these heat storage members are set up in the heat storage tank. Therefore, it is also apparent that the working efficiency in this manner would be clearly further reduced.